Bikeability secures £50m in funding from Department for Transport

The Department for Transport has today announced it is to secure the future of Bikeability cycle training. £50m is to be provided, enabling the delivery of Bikeabilty for the next four years.

A statement from the DfT said:

“This funding will help to increase children’s road awareness, encourage children to be healthy and active. Since its inception, more than 1.5m school children have received training through Bikeability. We expect to train 275,000 children during 2015/16.”

“We look forward to working with the Government over the next four years to support the cycle training industry to maintain high standards and professionalism. Bikeability training can teach children not only how to cycle more safely on the road, but also offers many other personal attributes such as independence, confidence, decision making and general co-ordination.”

She added: “TABS would like to see cycle training as part of the national curriculum so every child in the country has the chance to benefit from this essential life-skill.”

“The announcement is particularly significant, given the Government’s decision in the Spending Review to cut investment in the future of cycling by, effectively, two-thirds over the coming five years. In this respect it is a striking recognition of the continuing importance of teaching youngsters to ride cycles, at the very age that they really want to learn.”

He added: “It’s a pity that there isn’t funding to offer Bikeability to every child.”